The importance of efficient sewage systems to modern society is well-known. When such a system is not functioning properly, one does not have to be an expert in civil engineering to notice. Much of a typical sewage system relies on a downward, gravity-driven flow to convey wastewater, which includes sewage; however, because the terrain covered by the system is not completely level, the wastewater sometimes needs to be pumped uphill in order to reach a processing point.
Lift stations are used to effect the conveyance of the wastewater from a lower elevation to higher elevation. Lift stations are particularly useful where an attempt to apply a gravity flow conveyance would result in excessive excavation and construction costs. Moreover, at the lift station, water is separated from the solids in the wastewater. Accordingly, lift stations are a vital component of a sewage system, and a large urban area's system may utilize hundreds of lift stations. It is therefore important for lift stations to function properly.
Lift stations are typically in-ground cylinders, ranging from six to twenty-four feet in diameter and ten to thirty-five feet in depth. Components of a lift station include one or more inlet lines, through which the wastewater enters the lift station: an outlet line, through which the wastewater exits the lift station; one or more submerged pumps to force the flow of the wastewater through the outlet line, and a water sensor that activates one or more pumps. More specifically, the pump(s) activate when the wastewater in the lift station reaches a predetermined level as detected by the water sensor, and then pump the wastewater to the outlet, which is often at a higher elevation than the inlets. Switches turn the pumps off when the wastewater has been pumped below a predetermined level, usually a level just above the pumps—again as detected by the water sensor. Operation of the pump(s) and therefore the lift station depends on the proper functioning of the water sensor. If the water sensor does not or can not properly detect wastewater level, the pump(s) will not properly turn on and off.
Wastewater includes many solids and debris that float on the surface of the wastewater within the lift station. Such solids and debris may include human and animal waste, toilet paper, hair, grease, and other materials. Because the water sensor is situated within the wastewater, and due to the circulation of the wastewater within the lift station, the aforementioned solids and debris tend to accumulate on and wrap around the water sensor. Such accumulation can and does cause water sensor inoperability or at the least, degradation in water sensor performance. Such is a main reason for lift station failure. It is then necessary to rid the solids and/or debris from on and around the water sensor. Because of the nature of a wastewater or sewer system lift station, this is not a particularly pleasant task.
It would therefore be advantageous to have a device for a water level sensor of a wastewater or sewer system lift station that can protect the water level sensor from clogging by solids, grease and/or debris accumulating around the lift station water level sensor.